Michel de Montaigne

There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep.

Difficulty is a coin which the learned conjure with so as not to reveal the vanity of their studies and which human stupidity is keen to accept in payment

I never rebel so much against France as not to regard Paris with a friendly eye; she has had my heart since my childhood.... I love her tenderly, even to her warts and her spots. I am French only by this great city: the glory of France, and one of the noblest ornaments of the world.

I walk firmer and more secure up hill than down.

I quote others in order to better express my own self.

The word is half his that speaks and half his that hears it.

A wise man sees as much as he ought not as much as he can.

I speak the truth not so much as I would but as much as I dare and I dare a little more as I grow older.

When I religiously confess myself to myself I find that the best virtue I have has in it some tincture of vice.

All is a-swarm with commentaries: of authors there is a dearth.

Not being able to govern events I govern myself.

Of all our infirmities the most savage is to despise our being.

I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself.

I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself and not by borrowing.

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one's own self

There is no greater enemy to those who would please than expectation.

The Ancient Mariner said to Neptune during a great storm "O God you will save me if you wish but I am going to go on holding my tiller straight."